RINGWOOD rider James Hillier is adamant he is ready to seal Isle of Man TT glory, insisting: "I feel better prepared than ever."

The 32-year-old is set to undergo his opening practice session on the iconic course tomorrow, having enjoyed a string of good results at the International North West 200 in Northern Ireland.

And Hillier, who rides for the Bournemouth-based JG Speedfit Kawasaki, is hopeful he can improve on last year's trio of podium finishes.

He said: “The North West 200 was a mixed bag in terms of weather and that meant some of the races were really tough going. I had to use my head constantly to keep out of trouble, which was great preparation for the TT.

“Every time you compete it’s an opportunity to learn and the more you do, the more you know. This is my 10th TT and I feel better prepared than ever.

"The team has worked hard to resolve all the niggles with the bike which hampered our performance in Northern Ireland and now we’re looking forward to a really successful trip to the Isle of Man.

“We’ve got a strong team and one of the best chances of winning we’ve ever had. I really feel 2017 could be our year.”